ASK-INTO Expertise sharing between members

In 2017, the Saint Lucia National Trust (SLNT) discovered that a dolphinarium was being proposed by the government within the Pigeon Island National Landmark, a sensitive historic site managed by the Trust.

Members and staff of the SLNT mounted a national campaign against the project but felt that they needed international support to achieve their goal.

SLNT’s Director, Bishnu Tulsie, reached out to INTO for support, asking for examples of tools that INTO members had used in similar situations globally. The INTO Secretariat and members responded to the SLNT’s call for assistance with case studies and guidance on mobilising international

support. This action, along with support from advocacy groups working to protect whales and dolphins resulted in thirty-seven international organisations writing to the Government of Saint Lucia urging that the project be stopped. The information provided also helped strengthen the SLNT’s advocacy against the project.

Two years on, the dolphinarium has not been approved. While the SLNT is hopeful that government has changed its mind, they continue to monitor the situation and are prepared to re-launch its campaign against the project if it re-surfaces. Meanwhile the SLNT continues to gather pertinent

information and educate persons about the importance of heritage conservation and the potential negative impacts of this development.